It has been my experience that the majority of hospitals do not have the equipment installed and no-lift programs in place to make a difference in nurse and health care worker injury rates ("Original Research: Patient Handling and Mobility Course Content: A National Survey of Nursing Programs," November 2018). Perhaps this is why schools are still teaching manual patient handling to their students. Unsafe patient handling in hospitals is still the norm.

Safe patient handling equipment not only prevents staff and patient injury and improves patient mobility and outcomes, but pays for itself by reducing workers' compensation claims and use of sick time and disability, and by extending the years a nurse can stay working. There is no reason for manual lifting to be the norm in hospitals or long-term care facilities. Ethically and financially, safe patient handling equipment and no-lift policies must be a priority.

Betsy Marville, RN

via ajnoffthecharts.com